As I sat in the District courtroom a couple stood before the judge. It was certainly none of my business I was there to face the judge on a minor felony charge in which I had been summoned. Even though it was not my business, the couple held my attention. There was no doubt they were in the middle of a divorce. Each stood at their separate tables, lawyers at their sides. Neither would look at the other. I had been there myself not that long ago and watching this couple brought back all the emotions I had felt. I wanted to get up and go outside for a smoke, but my case was to be called next, I was told, so I sat now with head down listening.
It seemed pretty cut and dried. Irreconcilable differences. The judge was reviewing the property and custody factors, evidently paging through the divorce agreement. Then there was a silence. It seemed to go on for a long time. As I raised my head to see what the problem was. I saw the judge staring at the couple first at the woman then at the man. His brow was furrowed as he finally spoke,
“I have read all of your complaints and agreements on an equitable dissolution of this marriage. But before I finalize this decree, I must ask you both, is there any chance of reconciliation?”
With this I saw the man immediately shaking his head, absolutely no and his lawyer spoke it for the court record, I guess. The woman was not as quick to respond and leaned over to her lawyer whispering. I could see the lawyer trying to convince the woman of something, but she continued to be adamant. Finally, the lawyer shrugged and addressed the judge,
“Your honor, my client wishes to try to reconcile with her estranged husband and even though I have advise her that this is a drastic step at this point she is adamant…”
The lawyer’s voice trailed off. I noticed all around me people, especially lawyers seemed to be stunned. Even the judge sat pondering his next move. Looking back down at the papers in front of him, he spoke in a low voice directly to the woman,
“Madam, this is highly unusual. I would have hoped you would have spoken to your lawyer before we have gotten to this place. And I have to admit, you have put me a in difficult situation. I normally ask this question not expecting this result. But for now, I will adjourn this case till all parties can speak with me in my chambers.
With that he got up off the bench and left the courtroom. The bailiff called for a 15-minute recess and my assigned lawyer told me he would ask for a delay in my case because he had to be in another court soon. I shrugged not happy that I would have to miss more work but what could I do. As I left the courtroom, I saw the man arguing and shaking his finger at his lawyer. The woman sat crying as her lawyer seemed to console her. It all seemed so hopeless and useless to me there could never be reconciliation between two people like that.
It is strange and wonderful how God works. As I was listening to our morning devotion yesterday, I heard the word reconciliation in the following verses,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5: 17-21
Listening brought back the memory of this small incident from years ago. Two people locked in an irreconcilable divorce, yet one clinging to hope that things could be made right. This brought me to think how different God’s relationship with us is!
For so many years I was like that man in the divorce case. Adamant that I wanted nothing to do with being reconciled to God. I refused to listen to any reason or council. Yet in the face of this. In the face of my anger and addictions God never said, “I divorce Myself from you!” No, just the opposite! He waited patiently until just the right time and in just the right way, I found that Jesus could make me NEW! A whole new creation.
When I realized that in Jesus there was no condemnation and there would be no holding my past against me, I also began to realize like Paul says:
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” 2 Corinthians 5: 20
As I am reconciled to God, I can become the conduit to help others to find that same peace and joy. I could become an ambassador for Jesus Christ. And the miracle is that as this happens, I can become ‘the righteousness of God.’ Me, the guy who could not understand right from wrong. Me the hater. Me the lost son God was waiting for. Through Jesus’s sacrifice he offers all this to me.
I have to say I was blown away yesterday. These verses showed me once again God’s grace and love as shown through Jesus. I knew I needed to share it because the same reconciliation is waiting for you. If you feel unworthy, if you feel you have done too much and God cannot forgive, read these verses, claim Christ salvation as your own. God is waiting to reconcile you to Himself. And as you become that new creation you too will become Jesus’s ambassador to the world, you too become the righteousness of God! How cool is that?
Blessings
John
9/14/2021
